Blinking light system



April 7, 1937. G. c. DAVIS 2,078,372

BLINKINQ LIGHT SYSTEM Filed April 11, 1935 Patented A... '27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .miitii srs'mlu George C. Davis, laminbllflch, assignor ofonemmalrercy N. f'lrtuoinind one-third to Peter Application 1.1, 1935, 801181 N0. 15,922

This invention relates to so-called blinking or flashing light systems, and is intended especially for use in connection or association with, the 13- While it is preferred to include neon tube lights 15 in the operationof this invention, it is not intendedto limit the system to any certain nature or design of the lights, or to the precisesituations thereof upon the automobile, as those features may be obviously modified.

The drawing represents diagrammatically a top view of. an automobile with the lighting and ignition systems constructed in accordance with this invention applied thereto.

Considering the drawing, an automobile I is provided with dust guards 2, 3, 4 and 6 over the wheels, and upon the guards are placed signal lights 6,], 6 and 9 of any chosen structure and character. I

A battery III, or other source of electric current, is included as shown, usuallyvwith one pole grounded as at H. Connected with the battery .is a suitable ignition system switch I2, a conductor I3 leading therefrom to the battery. The switch is connected by conductor I4 with the 5 low tension coil l5 of an inductorium I6, with which is connected the customary condenser I i that may be grounded as at l8. The circuit in the coil is repeatedly interrupted by the make and break devices I3, which may be of any chosen construction. The device is operated by the eccentric'20 rotated by the motor of the automobile. It is held to be within the purview of this invention to substituteany desired form of electro-magnetic make and break devices. The devices iii are grounded at 2|. g

The induction means may have more than one high tension coil. In the drawing the high tension coil 22 is grounded as at 23 and is connected by way of conductor 24 with a distributer 26, one contact of which 26 is shown as connected by the conductor 21 with one of the sparkplugs 28 of the motor in the engine frame and having, therefore, a ground as at 29.

The second high tension coil 30, by way of conductor 3| is grounded as at 32. The other end 1 Claim. (01. m-aav) of the coil by way of the conductor 33 is connected with a switch arm 34. It will be noted that the switch arm 34 may sweep several contacts, 36, 36, 31, 36, 39 and 43. The last numbered contact is connected with conductor 34 of the ignition system. It is believed to be apparent from the drawing, if the switch arm 34 is moved'to the left an interrupted current will be directed by way of conductor 42 through the left front signal light 6 to ground 43. If the arm bridges contacts 36 and 36, both lights 6 and 8 on the left hand side of the machine will blink. If the arm is still further moved to the left, bridging contacts 36 and 31, both rear lights 6' and 9 'will flash repeatedly and have the effect of a stopping signal. It the arm 34 is moved onto the contact 38 at the right, the high tension induced current passes by conductor 46 to the right hand front light 'I and to ground 41. If the arm bridges contacts 38 and 39, both front and rear right hand lights wink repeatedly. current reaching the rear right hand light by way of conductor 48, and through the light to ground 49.

Itwill be noted that when the switch arm is applied to contact 36, the current passes by way of conductor 44 to the left hand rear light 8 and thence to ground 45. It will be observed also that the high tension coil 30 which serves the lights is provided with a separate interrupter 50 as shown in the drawing. The make and break device 50 may be introduced at any convenient point. As in the case of the interrupter ill, the device 50 is rotated by the motor, but at a different rate, for the following reasons: The second interrupter is used to obtain a longer interruption of the current causing a greater delay between the blinks of the lights. If the lights are connected with the sparkplugs directly, the alternating current changes are so rapid as to result in making the lights glow almost steadily. Whereas, the object of this invention is to produce a distinct and noticeable blinking of the lights, and that is the function of the second interrupter.

. 'In the operation of this invention, as stated in a the above explanation, either left or right front I lights may be caused to flash independently, or

left hand front and rear lights may be made to blink at the same time, and the same is true of the right hand front and rear lights. Also, the rear lights may be served current and wink together as stopping lights. It will be likewise understood, that when the switch arm 34 is moved onto contact 40, the current by way of conductor 4| is directed to the distributer and sparkplugs. This arrangement of switch arm 34 isordinarily unnecessary, and is reserved as an emergency operation in the event of trouble in the ignition circuit.

Having now described this invention, and the manner of its use, I claim:-

In a blinking lightsystem, the combination with a source of electric current, of means for generating induced current comprising a low tension coil and conductors connected with the said source, an interrupter arranged to make and break the low tension current, said induction ignition system connected -wlth the second of 10 said high tension coils.

GEORGE C. DAVIS. 

